Vaccination Should Be Mandatory Essay

We have cast aside the primitive mentality of medicine and have taken on the modern mindset, where we can create 3-D printers that grow human organs and oversee surgeries conducted by nanobots. Despite our advancements in technology, debates about vaccinations for children have occurred since their inception in the early eighteenth century. Many citizens accepted vaccines unquestioningly after the horrors of World War II, but people have since forgotten the frightening effects of diseases. Instead, conspiracies, fears of adverse reactions, and beliefs that they intrude on privacy and personal freedom (Allen, “Avoiding Vaccination”) replace the sense of security that we once had. The loss of trust in vaccinations has put the nation at risk. Our country's fate lies in our children’s hands; it would be an incredible …show more content…
When parents cannot decide the correct action to take for their own children, it is the duty of the law to uphold national safety. Vaccination for children must remain mandatory in the United States since it ensures social welfare and the number of benefits outweigh the potential dangers. Since 2011, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a total of sixteen vaccinations for the general public, including ones currently under debate, such as hepatitis B, diphtheria, chickenpox, and measles (“Preface to ‘Should Certain’”; “Necessary Shots?”). Antivax parents are motivated only by what they think is right for their child, even if science proves them wrong (Kluger). These incorrect beliefs bring up the point of herd immunity, defined as the phenomenon where a person who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons remains safer in a community with a large amount of vaccinated people. However, this ‘safe-zone’ starts to diminish once the number of anti-vaxxers increases